by Subhash K Jha

It could be considering the coolest casting coup of the year. Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra, who were last seen together as rivals in-love in Abbas-Mustan's Aitraaz, are all set to come together in the new Pepsi ad.

What's more the ad is going to be shot by another high-profile lady, none other than Farah Khan.

The historic all-girls' club groups together on 27 October to shoot the ad.

Says Kareena, "I'm really looking forward to getting together with Priyanka again. We had a great deal of fun shooting for Aitraaz. There was absolutely no rivalry between us. In fact while working in Aitraaz for the first time I realized two actresses can be friends. Shooting the Pepsi ad will be a party."

Priyanka, who has just cut a Rs 2 crore deal for a 2-year contract involving 12 days of work, is even more vocal.

"The minute I heard Bebo was going to shoot the Pepsi commercial with me I whooped with joy. Then when I heard Farah Khan was going to direct us I whooped again. Three of us girls are going to have a whale of a time on 27th. We've already decided what naughty things we're going to do."

This must be the first ad in India where two leading actresses will be directed by a woman.

Priyanka shrugs, "Don't know about that. But this is my first ad ever. And I'm as nervous as I was when I did my first film. And the fact that I'm going to be directed by Farah makes it special. I've never been directed by her before." Alliance the company that looks after endorsement deals for Amitabh Bachchan, has Priyanka as their new client. They're now looking at a big perfume deal for her.

"We hope to make Rs 10 crores on Priyanka's behalf through endorsements in the next two years," says celebrity-endorsement consultant Sunil Doshi.

"Today endorsements are much bigger for stars than movie deals. For a few days of work you're paid more than what you get for an entire movie which takes up at least 6 months of your time. More and more stars are doing ads. It's quick big and safe money."